It may be embarrassing and annoying if guests come over and go to use the restroom, only to be met with an unpleasant odor. There are a few common culprits regarding smelly bathrooms. Still, luckily most of them can be easily fixed with simple changes. Here are some reasons your bathroom might smell and what you can do about them.
Poor Ventilation
One of the most common reasons for a smelly bathroom is poor ventilation. When your bathroom doesn’t have enough ventilation, the moisture build-up can occur, which can lead to mold and mildew growth. Any smells, such as cooking or smoking, can also get trapped in the room without proper ventilation.
What You Can Do: Ensure your bathroom has a working exhaust fan turned on when showering or cooking. You can also open a window to let in the fresh air and remove stale odors. You can also try using dehumidifiers around your bathroom to help reduce the moisture content within the room that could be causing the smell.
Dirty Drains
Another common cause of bathroom smells dirty drains. Drains are essential since they carry away all the soapy water, hair, and other debris from showers, baths, and sinks. However, if the collection of dirt and grime builds up, it can emit a foul odor.
What You Can Do: To prevent this, clean your drains regularly to remove any build-up. Use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar or boiling water and dish soap to flush out any lingering debris and reduce odors. Do this at least once a week. It could also help if, after every bath, you flush the drain with hot water to keep it clean.
Clogged Toilet
Clogged toilets can also cause a stench in your bathroom. Whether it’s due to paper or other objects being flushed down the toilet or a build-up of minerals, these blockages can prevent water from properly flowing through the pipes and create an unpleasant smell. A clogged toilet may also cause your toilet to overflow, creating an even bigger mess.
What You Can Do: The easiest way to address this problem is to unclog the toilet using a plunger. A plunger is inexpensive, so it’s worth keeping a few around the house. It should remove any blockages and restore the toilet to proper functioning. If you have a more severe clog, consider using a drill or seeking professional help. Also, check any pipes near the toilet to ensure no blockage prevents water from flowing freely through them.
Bad Smells From the Sewer
If you notice a sulfur-like smell, it’s likely due to a build-up in your drain pipes that has caused a backup. This can be caused by many factors, including grease accumulation, tree roots blocking drains, or other debris.
What You Can Do: To resolve this issue, you’ll need to call a professional plumber to identify the source of the problem and make any necessary repairs. They may need to use a snake or auger to break up any clogs and restore the proper flow of water. Additionally, they may need to do camera inspections or pipe replacements which will require more extensive work.
Improper Trash Disposal
The trash can also be a source of unpleasant odors. If your trash needs to be taken out more often, or if it’s not stored properly in the bathroom, this may cause smells to linger. This may also cause bacteria and mold to grow, making the smell worse.
What You Can Do: Start by taking out the trash regularly. It is recommended to empty the trash once or twice a week. Also, keep your bathroom trash bin tightly sealed at all times. Also, avoid throwing wet or food items in the trash, as these can quickly lead to odors. To help reduce the smell of garbage, you can also place an odor eliminator inside the bin.
Push Plug Wastes
Push plugs, also known as pop-up stoppers, are a great way to keep water contained while you take a shower or bath. However, if they’re not properly maintained, they can create foul smells due to bacteria and mold build-up over time. If you don’t regularly clean your push plug, hair, soap, and toothpaste will build up and harden under the plug. This causes your push plug to eventually get stuck. Additionally, whatever accumulates under the push plug can contaminate the basin trap waste, causing it to produce an unpleasant smell after a while.
What You Can Do: To prevent this from happening, regularly remove the push plug and clean it with a toothbrush, vinegar, or baking soda. It’s also important to ensure that you keep it dry as much as possible by wiping down the surface after every use.
If your bathroom has a foul odor that won’t go away no matter how much you clean, it’s time to take a closer look at the situation to determine the problem’s source. Often, bad smells can be easily prevented. By addressing the issues head-on, you can get rid of bad bathroom smells.
